Anatomical model

ABSTRACT

An anatomical model comprising:
         an inner lumen; and   an outer lumen, wherein the inner lumen is disposed inside of the outer lumen so as to create a space therebetween;   and further wherein a fluid is disposed within the space, interior to the outer lumen and exterior to the inner lumen, whereby the inner lumen can accurately simulate the mucous membrane lining a mammalian tract.

REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATION

This patent application claims benefit of pending prior U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 60/801,719, filed May 19, 2006 by JamesFrassica et al. for ANATOMICAL MODEL (Attorney's Docket No. FA-74 PROV).

The above-identified patent application is hereby incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to anatomical models in general, and moreparticularly to anatomical models of a mammalian tract for use inteaching endoscopic insertion techniques and therapeutic procedures tophysicians and other medical personnel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In most mammals, mucous membranes line the passages by which internalorgans communicate with the exterior environment. By way of example butnot limitation, the two primary mammalian tracts (i.e., thegastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts) are lined with mucousmembranes. These mucous membranes are generally soft and velvety, andvery vascular, and their surfaces are coated over by their mucoussecretion, which is typically of a viscous consistency. The mucousserves to protect tissue from foreign substances which may be introducedinto the body.

In order to provide a training tool for physicians and other medicalpersonnel who are learning endoscopic insertion techniques andtherapeutic procedures, it has been found desirable to provide aclinically realistic anatomical model of the mucous membranes which linethe two primary mammalian tracts, i.e., the gastrointestinal andgenitourinary tracts.

Many, if not most, of the prior art anatomical models of thegastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts are singled-walled tubularmodels which are positioned on a base plate. These single-walled tubularmodels generally utilize elastomeric materials such as silicone or athermoplastic elastomer (TPE) to simulate the pliable, compliant natureof a gastrointestinal and/or genitourinary tract organ, e.g., the bowel,etc.

However, there are many deficiencies associated with these prior artanatomical models.

For example, elastomeric materials tend to have a high coefficient offriction, which is the opposite of the slippery mucous-lined anatomy ofthe gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. Thus, forming theanatomical model out of an elastomer makes it difficult to pass theinstrumentation (e.g., an endoscope) through the anatomical model in anatural manner. One solution to this problem is to add a lubricant tothe anatomical model and/or the instrumentation. However, this approachis not completely satisfactory, since the lubricant can dry out, even ina relatively short time period, which can then make it even moredifficult to pass instrumentation through the model.

Another significant deficiency of prior art anatomical models is thatthese models fail to realistically incorporate the external compression(e.g., abdominal pressure from adjacent organs) which acts on thegastrointestinal and/or genitourinary tract. For example, the bowel andthe urethra are both tubular organs which typically lay in a flatcondition when these organs are not distended. Prior art anatomicalmodels are generally constructed with self-supporting walls which do notsimulate the lay-flat anatomy which is being compressed by abdominalpressure from adjacent organs.

For these reasons, and others, there is presently a need for a morerealistic and accurate anatomical model which can be used as a trainingtool for physicians and other medical personnel to learn endoscopicinsertion techniques and therapeutic procedures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide anaccurate and realistic anatomical model which can be used by physiciansand other medical personnel to learn endoscopic insertion techniques andtherapeutic procedures.

This and other objects are addressed by the provision and use of thepresent invention, which generally comprises an anatomical modelcomprising an inner lumen and an outer lumen, wherein the inner lumen isdisposed inside of the outer lumen so as to create a space therebetween,and further wherein a fluid is disposed within the space, interior tothe outer lumen and exterior to the inner lumen, whereby the inner lumencan accurately simulate the mucous membrane lining a mammalian tract(e.g., the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract).

In one preferred form of the invention, there is provided an anatomicalmodel comprising:

an inner lumen; and

an outer lumen, wherein the inner lumen is disposed inside of the outerlumen so as to create a space therebetween;

and further wherein a fluid is disposed within the space, interior tothe outer lumen and exterior to the inner lumen, whereby the inner lumencan accurately simulate the mucous membrane lining a mammalian tract.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the present invention will bemore fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which are tobe considered together with the accompanying drawing wherein likenumbers refer to like elements and further wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention generally comprises an anatomical model comprisingan inner lumen and an outer lumen, wherein the inner lumen is disposedinside of the outer lumen so as to create a space therebetween, andfurther wherein a fluid is disposed within the space, interior to theouter lumen and exterior to the inner lumen, whereby the inner lumen canaccurately simulate the mucous membrane lining a mammalian tract (e.g.,the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract).

More particularly, and looking now at FIG. 1, there is shown ananatomical model 5 which comprises two lumens, an inner lumen 10 and anouter lumen 15, wherein inner lumen 10 is disposed inside of outer lumen15. Inner lumen 10 generally comprises an interior surface 20 and anexterior surface 25. Outer lumen 15 generally comprises an interiorsurface 30 and an exterior surface 35. On account of the foregoingconstruction, a space 40 is formed in between exterior surface 25 ofinner lumen 10 and interior surface 30 of outer lumen 15. Inner andouter lumens 10, 15 are sized so as to approximate different anatomicallocations or pathology.

In order to simulate the actual force on a mammalian tract (e.g., thegastrointestinal or genitourinary tract), space 40 is filled with afluid. This fluid creates a radially compressive force on exteriorsurface 25 of inner lumen 10 which simulates the forces acting on themammalian tract within the body (e.g., the gastrointestinal orgenitourinary tract within the abdomen). In this respect, it should benoted that inner lumen 10 and outer lumen 15 are sealed so as to preventfluid communication between the inner and outer lumens.

Inner lumen 10 and outer lumen 15 are formed out of one or morematerials which have physical characteristics which, when combined withthe effect of a fluid filled space 40, provide properties simulatingthose of real tissue. These materials may have inherently low surfacefriction so as to approximate the coefficient of friction of naturalmucosal tissue, or the materials may incorporate a lubricant so as tosimulate the low friction of natural mucosal tissue. By way of examplebut not limitation, the material of inner lumen 10 may comprisepolyethylene, and the material of outer lumen 15 may also comprisepolyethylene.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, inner lumen 10and/or outer lumen 15 may be constructed from a clear material so as toprovide for external visualization.

As noted above, space 40 is filled with a fluid in order to simulate theactual force on a mammalian tract (e.g., the gastrointestinal orgenitourinary tract). More particularly, this fluid is selected, andpressurized, so as to provide the desired compressive force on exteriorsurface 25 of inner lumen 10. By way of example but not limitation, thisfluid may be a gas pressurized to a desired level. By way of furtherexample but not limitation, the fluid may be a liquid chosen from a widerange of weights or viscosities so as to affect the feel of thesimulator. By way of further example but not limitation, where space 40is filled with a gas, that gas may be nitrogen pressurized to a level of50 mm Hg, and where space 40 is filled with a liquid, the liquid may bewater.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, outer lumen 15 maycomprise a vessel which holds inner lumen 10.

And in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, mechanicalsupport may be used to create a 2- or 3-dimensional shape to simulate ahuman or animal model.

And in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, innerlumen 10 and outer lumen 15 may comprise “lay-flat” tubing so thatanatomical model 5 comprises a long “poly-bag”.

In use, the structure shown in FIG. 1 is provided with the fluidpositioned in space 40 so as to provide the desired anatomicalcharacteristics for anatomical model 5. Then instrumentation (e.g., anendoscope) is inserted into inner lumen 10. As this occurs, inner andouter lumens 10, 15, with the fluid-filled space 40 therebetween, modelthe natural tissue in a more realistic manner than the prior art.

In one preferred embodiment, a lubricant may be added to aid in theinsertion of the instrumentation into inner lumen 10. By way of examplebut not limitation, the lubricant may comprise a mixture of water andliquid detergent.

Thus, the present invention provides an anatomical model comprising aninner lumen and an outer lumen, wherein the inner lumen is disposedinside of the outer lumen so as to create a space therebetween, andfurther wherein a fluid is disposed within the space, interior to theouter lumen and exterior to the inner lumen, whereby the inner lumen canaccurately simulate the mucous membrane lining a mammalian tract (e.g.,the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract).

MODIFICATIONS

While the present invention has been described in terms of certainexemplary preferred embodiments, it will be readily understood andappreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, andthat many additions, deletions and modifications may be made to thepreferred embodiments discussed herein without departing from the scopeof the invention.

1. An anatomical model comprising: an inner lumen; and an outer lumen,wherein the inner lumen is disposed inside of the outer lumen so as tocreate a space therebetween; and further wherein a fluid is disposedwithin the space, interior to the outer lumen and exterior to the innerlumen, whereby the inner lumen can accurately simulate the mucousmembrane lining a mammalian tract.
 2. An anatomical model according toclaim 1 wherein the inner lumen is formed out of polyethylene.
 3. Ananatomical model according to claim 1 wherein the outer lumen is formedout of polyethylene.
 4. An anatomical model according to claim 1 whereinthe fluid is a liquid.
 5. An anatomical model according to claim 4wherein the liquid is water.
 6. An anatomical model according to claim 1wherein the fluid is a gas.
 7. An anatomical model according to claim 6wherein the fluid is a pressurized gas.
 8. An anatomical model accordingto claim 6 wherein the gas is nitrogen.
 9. An anatomical model accordingto claim 1 wherein the mammalian tract is the human gastrointestinaltract.
 10. An anatomical model according to claim 1 wherein themammalian tract is the human genitourinary tract.